Universal center support for venetian blind head rails



July 11, 1933. w w ZINGG I 1,917,416

UNIVERSAL CENTER SUPPORT FOR VENETIAN BLIND HEAD RAILS- Filed March 20, 1933 /& INVENTOR.

{a 4 2 I i W044 ATTORNEY.

Patented July 11, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM W. ZINGG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE COLUMBIA MILLS, INQ, OF SAGINAW, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK UNIVERSAL CENTER SUPPORT FOR VENETIAN BLIND HEAD Application filed March 20, 1933. Serial No. 661,690

This invention relates to Venetian blinds, the essential features of which consist of a head rail which is adapted to be secured to the top of a window or the like, a tilt bar which depends from the head rail, and from which a series of spaced apart horizontally disposed slats are hung by means of tapes, and suitable means for effecting an angular tilting of the tilt bar and the slats hung thereon, as well as the raising or lowering of one or all of the slats to open or partially open position.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to design a universal center support of simple and practical design, which can be easily and quickly secured to the top rail of a window casing or opening, to a backing strip when no upper top rail is available, to a ceiling, or to spaced apart supports of any nature, said center support rigidly supporting the head rail at a point intermediate its length, thereby preventing sagging, particularly in large Windows, openings, or areas having a considerable horizontal dimension.

Another object is todesign a universal center support in which the head rail can be removably mounted, or to which the head rail can be rigidly secured should conditions require.

A further object is to provide a preferably sheet metal center support, which permits the head rail to be made in two or more pieces, which can be economically manufactured and readily installed, and which rigidly supports the intermediate section of the head rail.

A further object still is to provide a center support for the head rail, so that the intermediate supporting link which is connected to the tilt bar can be readily connected to the head rail, permitting free rotation and angular tilting of the tilt bar and slats without bending.

The above and other objects will appear as the specification progresses, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing in which I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views thereof.

In'the drawing to a head casing.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a Venetian blind embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through the casing, head rail, and tilt bar, and showing the center support secured Fig. 3 is a similar View illustrating the center support secured to a backing strip.

Fig. 4 is an isometric View of the center support.

Fig. 5 is a view showing a slightly different manner of securing the link to the head rail.

Fig. 6 is a front view of the head rail showing it formed in two pieces, with a bracket connecting the abutting ends together.

Referring now more particularlyto the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates a window casement in which a Venetian blind 2 is hung in the conventional manner, said blind including a head rail 3 which is removably mounted on brackets 4 which are secured to the easement.

Spaced apart brackets 5 and 6 are hung from the head rail, and a tilt bar 7 is revolubly mounted on said brackets. Ladder tapes 8 are vertically suspended from the tilt bar 7, and at spaced intervals support thin flat slats 9 which are supported on the usual transverse web strips (not shown), so that the slats will tilt with the tilt bar, tilting cords 10 being provided for effecting angular movement of the tilt bar and slats.

In windows and openings having a considerable horizontal dimension, it is desirable to pivotally support the tilt bar at a point intermediate its ends, and heretofore it has been general practice to provide an intermediate support for the tilt bar only, which support is in turn connected to the head rail, and should the tilt bar sag, this additional weight is imposed on the head rail at a point intermediate its ends, and this weight, together with the natural sag present in a coinparatively thin long head rail supported at widely spaced points, is not satisfactory, as the sag of the head rail increases (within certain limits) from time to time, and certain species of wood are more resilient than 100 or more points so that all sag and bending is eliminated. This bracket'is preferably stamped and comprises top, bottom, and back walls, a slotted opening 12 being provided in the bottom wall, and screw openings 13 are provided in the top wall to facilitate securing the bracket to the head casing 14 of the window or other support, these openings being in alignment with the slotted opening 12 to facilitate the insertion of the screws 15.

Similar openings 16 are provided in the back wall of the bracket, so that it can be secured to a back support 17 when desired or necessary, and should it be desired to permanently secure the head rail to the bracket, screws (not shown) can be inserted through the openings 18 in the bottom wall;

otherwise the head rail is freely removable with the blind when and as desired.

Any suitable intermediate support, such as shown for example in Burns Patent No. 1,894,216, Jan. 10, 1933, may be provided for the tilt-bar. This includes the stamped plate 19 which is provided with a centrally disposed pin 20 to which a link member 21 is pivotally secured, the upper end of the link being hook-shaped and is adapted to engage an eye bolt 22 which is anchored in the head rail, or a. pivot pin 23 may be provided as clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing, the head rail being grooved as at 24 to accommodate said link.

By referring to Fig. 6 of the drawing, it can readily be seen that the head rail can be made up of two or more pieces. It is merely necessary to provide a bracket 25 to which the abutting ends of the head rail can be secured, which bracket can be formed similar to the member 11, or of any other desired construction. This permits the use of short sections for the head rail, and lessens the possibility of warping and sagging. More than one bracket can be used if desired, and in fact may be substituted for the usual end brackets when conditions and the type of construction warrant. It eliminates the possibility of sagging and always holds the head rail horizontally true and level.

From the foregoing description it will be clearly obvious that I have perfected a very simple, practical, and economical universal center support, which can be readily mounted, and from which the head rail can be readily removed or inserted.

What I claim is:

1. A universal center support for Venetian blinds comprising a bracket formed with top, bottom, and back walls, and openings in the top and back walls to permit the bracket being secured to a suitable support.

2. A universal center support for Venetian blinds and comprising a bracket formed with top, bottom, and back walls, a slotted opening provided in the bottom wall, and means for securing said bracket to a suitable support.

3. The combination with a Venetian blind including a head rail, of a center bracket formed With an opening for removably receiving and supporting said head rail, and means for rigidly securing said bracket in position.

4. The combination with a Venetian blind including a head rail, of a universal center bracket adapted to removably accommodate and support said head rail'and comprising top, bottom, and back walls, and means for securing said bracket in position.

5. The combination with a Venetian blind including a head rail having a tilt bar hung thereon, of a universal center bracket adapted to removably receive and support said head rail, and a slot in the bottom wall of the bracket to accommodate a securing member to which the intermediate portion of the tilt bar is secured.

6. The combination with a Venetian blind includin a head rail made up of a plurality of individual sections, of a universal center bracket adapted to removably receive and support the intermediate section of said head rail, and openings in said bracket to permit signature.

WIIJLIAM W. ZINGG. 

